Researchers have discovered in an animal study that deferoxamine (trade name: Desferal), a drug used to treat iron toxicity, is able to boost bone healing and regrowth, and may be a potential lead compound for treating fractures, bone disease and other musculoskeletal disorders.

In the study, bone density surrounding the injury more than doubled to 2.6 cubic millimeters in treated bones compared to 1.2 cubic millimeters in untreated bones, the researchers said. The new blood vessel growth and bone healing was achieved through a cell pathway that helps the body respond to low oxygen levels, a common problem when blood supply is affected by bone fracture and disease.

The UAB findings are published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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